Clip

ABSTRACT

An airbag device attached to a vehicle body frame member and covered by a garnish is configured such that when a bag body is deployed, the airbag device pushes out the garnish to create a gap between the garnish and the vehicle body frame member to allow the bag body to be inflated out of the gap. The clip for securing the garnish to the vehicle body frame member includes a first member configured to be fixed to the vehicle body frame member, a second member configured to be fixed to the garnish, and a connecting member for keeping the first member and the second member connected when the airbag is deployed. The connecting member is tiltable with respect to the first member and the second member so that the movable range of the clip can be maximized without using flexible material for the connecting member.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a U.S. National Phase Application ofPCT/JP2018/018090, filed May 10, 2018, which claims the benefit ofpriority to JP Application No. 2017-098542, filed May 17, 2017, thecontents of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference intheir entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a clip which, in a vehicle bodystructure including a vehicle body frame member, an airbag deviceattached to the vehicle body frame member, and a garnish covering theairbag device, is configured to secure the garnish to the vehicle bodyframe member.

BACKGROUND ART

A clip for securing a garnish to a vehicle body frame member such as afront pillar and a roof rail is known. For allowing a curtain airbagwhich is normally received between the vehicle body frame member and thegarnish to be deployed in a smooth manner, the clip is configured todeform (extend) under a load from the garnish which is pushed out by theinflating airbag so as to create a gap between the vehicle body framemember and the garnish (see Patent Documents 1 and 2, for example).

The clip disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a pin member fixed tothe vehicle body frame member, and a base member fixed to the garnish.The main body of the pin member is normally engaged by the base member,but when the airbag is deployed, the engagement is released so that theclip is extended in length until the free end of a stroke part (legpart) extending from the main body of the pin member is engaged by thebase member, and a gap for allowing the bag body to be inflated isthereby created between the vehicle body frame member and the garnish.The base member is allowed to tilt with respect to the pin member owingto a high flexibility of the stroke portion (leg portion).

The clip disclosed in Patent Document 2 includes a grommet memberconfigured to be fixed to the vehicle body frame member and a pin memberhaving a leg portion and configured to be secured to the garnish. Theleg portion is normally accommodated in the grommet, but when the airbagis deployed, the clip is extended until a locking portion provided atthe free end of the leg is engaged by the grommet, and a gap that allowsthe bag body to be inflated is created between the vehicle body framemember and the garnish. In the extended state, the pin member can betilted with respect to the grommet since the locking portion formed atthe free end of the leg portion is rotatably engaged by the grommet.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENT(S) Patent Document(s)

Patent Document 1: JP5576307B2

Patent Document 2: JP5227200B2

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Task to be Accomplished by the Invention

When the airbag is deployed, the garnish moves along an arcuate path tocreate a gap between the vehicle body frame member and the bag body ofairbag device. In the case of the clip disclosed in Patent Document 1,the stroke part (leg part) is given with a flexibility by using a softmaterial therefor so that the stroke part is enabled to accommodate thisarcuate movement. Therefore, the material for the stroke part is limitedin selection, and the stroke part may lack an adequate mechanicalstrength. In the case of the clip disclosed in Patent Document 2, theleg portion itself is not required to be highly flexible, and anadequate mechanical strength can be ensured, but the movable range ofthe leg portion may be limited owing to the interference with thegrommet member.

In view of such a problem of the prior art, a primary object of thepresent invention is to provide a clip which allows a wide range ofmaterial selection, and accommodates a wide range of movement.

Means for Accomplishing the Task

According to certain embodiments of the present invention there isprovided a clip (10) for use in a vehicle body structure (101),including a vehicle body frame member (102), an airbag device (103)attached to the vehicle body frame member, and a garnish (104) coveringthe airbag device, to secure the garnish to the vehicle body framemember, the clip comprising: a first member (11) configured to be fixedto the vehicle body frame member; a second member (12) configured to befixed to the garnish, and engaged by the first member with a prescribedretaining force; and a connecting member (13) for connecting the firstmember and the second member to each other so as to prevent the secondmember from being displaced from the first member beyond a prescribeddistance; the clip being configured to transition from a retracted statewhere the second member is engaged by the first member with theprescribed retaining force, and an extended state where the secondmember is displaced from the first member by the prescribed distance,the connecting member being tiltable with respect to the first andsecond members in the extended state. Preferably, the first member isprovided with a first opening (22) and a first locking portion (40)configured to engage the connecting member, and the second member isprovided with a second opening (29) and a second locking portion (42)configured to engage the connecting member, and the connecting memberbeing provided with a first end portion (34) having an enlarged headconfigured to be received by the first opening and rotatably engaged bythe first locking portion in the extended state, a second end portion(35) having an enlarged head configured to be received by the secondopening and rotatably engaged by the second locking portion in theextended state, and a column portion (36) extending between the firstend portion and the second end portion.

According to this arrangement, since the connecting member can tilt withrespect to the first and second members, the connecting member is notrequired to be made of a flexible soft material so that the material canbe selected from a wide range of materials including those having adesired mechanical strength. Since the connecting member can tilt withrespect to both the first and second members, the tiltable angle of thesecond member with respect to the first member is increased.

According to certain embodiments of the present invention, in connectionwith the above arrangement, the clip is configured such that one of thefirst member and the connecting member is provided with a guide groove(39) extending along a direction in which the garnish can move towardand away from the vehicle body frame member, and another of the firstmember and the connecting member is provided with a protrusion (38)slidably received in the guide groove as the clip transitions from theretracted state to the extended state.

According to this arrangement, as the clip transitions from theretracted state to the extended state, the protrusion is guided by theguide groove so that the transition is effected in a smooth manner.

According to certain embodiments of the present invention, in connectionwith the above arrangement, the clip is configured such that the guidegroove includes a pair of guide grooves provided in the first member soas to oppose each other, and the protrusion includes a pair protrusionsprovided on the connecting member so as to correspond to the respectiveguide grooves, and an end of each groove on a side of the second memberforms the first locking portion, and each protrusion forms a part of theenlarged head of the first end portion so that the connecting member istiltable with respect to the first member around a first axis (axialline in the Y direction).

According to this arrangement, the structure for guiding the transitionfrom the retracted state to the extended state and the structure forallowing the connecting member to tilt with respect to the first membercan be integrated with each other.

According to certain embodiments of the present invention, in connectionwith the above arrangement, the clip is configured such that the secondlocking portion is provided with a pair of engagement claws (41, 41)that oppose each other in a direction perpendicular to the first axis,and the second end portion is provided with an enlarged head elongatedin a direction in which the engagement claws oppose each other so thatthe connecting member is tiltable with respect to the second memberaround a second axis parallel to the first axis.

According to this arrangement, the second end portion is widened in adirection orthogonal to the axis of the tilting motion, and is preventedfrom being engaged by the first locking portion so that when assemblingthe connecting member, the second end portion can be assembled by beingpassed through the first locking portion, and the assembly process isfacilitated.

According to certain embodiments of the present invention, in connectionwith the above arrangement, the clip is configured such that the columnportion is provided, at a part thereof connected to the second endportion, with a thinned portion (37) having a reduced thickness in adirection in which the enlarged head of the second end portion iselongated, and the engagement claws are configured to engage the thinnedportion in the retracted state.

According to this arrangement, since the position of the connectingmember is stabilized in the retracted state, the clip can be assembledto the garnish and the vehicle body frame member without being hinderedby the connecting member.

According to certain embodiments of the present invention, in connectionwith the above arrangement, the clip is configured such that the firstmember and the second member are engaged with each other in theretracted state by fitting a protrusion formed by a tapered solid ofrevolution formed on one of the first member and the second member intoa circular hole (28) formed in another of the first member and thesecond member.

According to this arrangement, owing to the circular configuration ofthe protrusion formed by a tapered solid of revolution and the circularhole, the force required for dislodging the protrusion formed by atapered solid of revolution from the circular hole can be made constanteven when the direction of the force acting on the second member duringthe transition from the retracted state to the extended state isirregular.

According to certain embodiments of the present invention, in connectionwith the above arrangement, the clip is configured such that theconnecting member is entirely received in the first member and thesecond member in the retracted state.

According to this arrangement, the size of the clip can be minimized,and the space required for receiving the airbag device can be minimized.

Effect of the Present Invention

The present invention thus provides a clip that provides a wide range ofmaterial selection and accommodates a wide range of movement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a clip (in retracted state) according toan embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the clip according to the embodiment (inextended state);

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the clip according to theembodiment;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG.1;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line V-V in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG.2;

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG.2;

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII inFIG. 1 when a second member is being displaced from a first member;

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to FIGS. 4 and 6 showinga tilting movement of a connecting member relative to the first memberand the second member;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing a vehicle body structure fitted withthe clip of the embodiment; and

FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing the vehicle body structure fittedwith the clip of the embodiment when an airbag device is deployed.

MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

A clip 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention isdescribed in the following with reference to the appended drawings.

As shown in FIG. 10, the clip 10 is used in a vehicle body structure101, including a front pillar upper 102 forming a vehicle body framemember, an airbag device 103 attached to the front pillar upper 102, anda garnish 104 that covers the airbag device 103, to attach the garnish104 to the front pillar upper 102.

The front pillar upper 102 includes a front inner upper pillar 102 aprovided on the vehicle interior side, a front pillar upper stiffener102 b provided on the vehicle exterior side of the front inner upperpillar 102 a so as to jointly form a closed cross section structure withthe front inner upper pillar 102 a, and an outer panel 102 c provided onthe vehicle exterior side of the front pillar upper stiffener 102 b soas to jointly form a closed cross section structure with the frontpillar upper stiffener 102 b, and is thus provided with a generallyhollow structure. The clip 10 is fixed to the front inner upper pillar102 a. A front windshield glass 105 is placed on the front side of thefront pillar upper 102, and a gap defined between these two members iscovered by a molding 106. A side door 108 provided with a side windowglass 107 is provided behind the front pillar upper 102. In the gapdefined between the front pillar upper 102 and the side door 108 areprovided weather strips 109 and 110.

As shown in FIG. 11, when the bag body of the airbag device 103 isinflated and this causes a load (expansion pressure) to be applied tothe front pillar upper 102 and the garnish 104 in a direction to pushthese components away from each other, a gap is created between thefront pillar upper 102 and the garnish 104 as a result of thedisplacement of the garnish 104 away from the front pillar upper 102 bya certain distance so that the bag body of the airbag device 103 isallowed to be deployed through the gap. In the following description,the direction orthogonal to the attachment surface of the clip 10 to thefront pillar upper 102 is referred to as the X direction, and thedirection along the vertical direction of the vehicle on the attachmentsurface is generally referred to as the Z direction. The directionperpendicular to the Z direction on the attachment surface is referredto as the Y direction.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 8, the clip 10 includes a first member 11 fixedto the front pillar upper 102 (see FIG. 10), a second member 12 fixed tothe garnish 104 (see FIG. 10) and engaged by the first member 11 by aprescribed retaining force, and a connecting member 13 connecting thefirst member 11 and the second member 12 to each other so as to preventthe second member 12 from being displaced from the first member 11 bymore than a prescribed distance. Hereinafter, a state in which thesecond member 12 is engaged by the first member 11 with the prescribedretaining force is referred to as a retracted state, and a state inwhich the connecting member 13 is connecting the first member 11 and thesecond member 12 so as to prevent the second member 12 from beingdisplaced from the first member 11 by more than the prescribed distanceis referred to as an extended state. The first member 11, the secondmember 12, and the connecting member 13 are each formed by molding aresin material. In addition, the first member 11, the second member 12,and the connecting member 13 are each mirror-symmetric in shape withrespect to the XY plane and the XZ plane passing through the centralaxis.

The first member 11 includes a base portion 14 fixed to the front pillarupper 102 and a head portion 15 that is configured to engage the secondmember 12 with the prescribed retaining force in the retracted state.

The base portion 14 is formed in a substantially rectangular and tubulartube shape, and includes a pair of fixing side walls 16 opposing eachother in the Z direction. Each fixing side wall 16 is provided with anengaging piece 17 in the form of a cantilever which is supported at thebase end, and configured to be engaged by an opening 111 (see FIG. 10)formed in the front pillar upper 102. The outer surface of each engagingpiece 17 is formed with an inclined surface 18 which rises in an outwarddirection toward the head portion 15 so that the engaging piece 17 isresiliently deformed inward as the first member 11 is inserted into theopening 111 (see FIG. 10). Each engaging piece 17 is provided with agroove 19 in a part thereof closer to the head portion 15 than theinclined surface 18 so that the first member 11 can be fixed to thefront pillar upper 102 by causing the edge of the opening 111 to beengaged by the grooves 19 of the engaging pieces 17 as the engagingpieces 17 resiliently regain the original shape thereof.

The head portion 15 is provided with a pair of flanges 20 that face thefront pillar upper 102, and a pair of convex portions 21 that protrudeaway from the base portion 14 proud of the flanges 20 and oppose eachother in the Y direction. The flanges 20 extend in the Z directionbeyond the expanse of the base portion 14. The outer surfaces of thebase portion 14 and the head portion 15 facing in the Y direction aresubstantially flush with one another. The head portion 15 is formed witha first opening 22 facing in the X direction and communicating with theinner bore of the base portion 14. The first opening 22 receives theconnecting member 13 therein.

The second member 12 is formed in a substantially rectangular andtubular shape, and the side walls thereof facing each other in the Zdirection are provided with fixing grooves 23, respectively, extendingin the Y direction. The second member 12 is configured to be fixed tothe garnish 104 by a pedestal portion 112 (see FIG. 10) provided on theback surface of the garnish 104 engaging the fixing grooves 23.

The first member 11 and the second member 12 are provided with a fittingstructure 24 for engaging each other with a prescribed retaining forcein the retracted state. The fitting structure 24 includes a pair ofhemispherical protrusions 26 provided on the outer surfaces of a pair offirst engagement side walls 25 of the first member 11 facing in the Ydirection, and a pair of circular holes 28 provided in a pair of secondengagement side walls 27 of the second member 12 facing in the Ydirection, and configured to snugly receive the correspondinghemispherical protrusions 26. In the retracted state, the head side endof the outer surface of each first engagement side wall 25 opposes thefront pillar upper side end of the inner surface of the correspondingsecond engagement side wall 27, and the hemispherical protrusions 26 arefitted into the respective circular holes 28. When a force larger thanthe prescribed retaining force is applied in a direction to pull thefirst member 11 and the second member 12 apart, the hemisphericalprotrusions 26 are dislodged from the respective circular holes 28. Atthis time, since the hemispherical protrusions 26 and the circular holesare circular in shape, even if the pulling force is inclined in the Zdirection with respect to the X direction, the magnitude of the forcerequired for dislodging the hemispherical protrusions 26 from therespective circular holes 28 does not change. It should be noted thatthe hemispherical protrusion 26 may also have other shapes such as afrusto-conical shape and other tapered solids of revolution.

The tubular second member 12 is provided with a second opening 29 facingin the X direction for allowing the connecting member 13 to be receivedtherein.

Further, the parts of the second member 12 opposing the convex portions21 of the first member 11 are provided with a pair of concave portions30 complementary in shape to the corresponding convex portions 21. Theconvex portions 21 are formed by the tip end parts of the firstengagement side walls 25. Since a taper is provided on each convexportion 21 so that the width of the convex portion 21 in the Z directiongets progressively narrower toward the tip end part thereof, the sidesurfaces of the convex portion 21 are defined by a pair of firstinclined planar surfaces 31 that come closer to each other toward thetip end of the convex portion 21. Each concave portion 30 of the secondmember 12 is formed with a pair of second inclined planar surfaces 32which are complementary to the corresponding first inclined planarsurfaces 31 (see FIG. 8). Each second inclined planar surface 32 isconfigured to slide over the corresponding first inclined planar surface31. The second member 12 is provided with an open structure that allowsthe first member 11 to slide away from the second member 12 without anyhindrance as the first inclined planar surfaces 31 and the secondinclined planar surface 32 move away from each other. In other words,the second member 12 is not provided with any wall or the like thatprevents the first member 11 from moving away from the second member 12in the sliding direction.

A pair of elastic pieces 33 extend in the Y direction from the end partof each second engagement side wall 27 on the side of the front pillarupper 102, the two elastic pieces 33 being positioned at the two ends ofthe end part in the Z direction. Each elastic piece 33 is curved so asto come closer to the front pillar upper 102 toward the free endthereof. When the clip 10 is attached to the vehicle body structure 101in the retracted state, the free ends of the elastic pieces 33 arepressed against the front pillar upper 102 so that the elastic forcegenerated in the elastic pieces 33 suppress the rattling between thefirst member 11 and the second member 12. As a result, the rattling ofthe garnish 104 with respect to the front pillar upper 102 is minimized.

The connecting member 13 includes a first end 34 having an enlarged headthat is inserted into the first opening 22, a second end 35 having anenlarge head that is inserted into the second opening 29, and a columnportion 36 extending between the first end 34 and the second end 35.

The column portion 36 extends in the X direction in the retracted state,and has a rectangular shape elongated in the Y direction in the YZ crosssection. The thickness in the Z direction is thin in an intermediatepart thereof in the X direction, and gest progressively greater towardthe two end portions thereof. However, the part of the column portion 36connected to the second end 35 is provided with a thinned portion 37which is formed so as to define a groove extending in the Z direction oneach side of this part.

The first end 34 is widened owing to the presence of a pair ofprotrusions 38 which protrude on either side surface in the Y direction.A pair of guide grooves 39 extending in the X direction are provided onthe inner surfaces of the respective first engagement side walls 25 ofthe first member 11 that oppose each other in the Y direction. Eachguide groove 39 receives the corresponding protrusion 38 so as to beslidable in the X direction and rotatable about an axis in the Ydirection. The base end side of each guide groove 39 is opened so thatthe connecting member 13 can be inserted, and the free end side of theguide groove 39 extends to the corresponding convex portion 21 and isclosed. The closed end surface on the free end side of each guide groove39 forms a first locking portion 40 that locks or engages thecorresponding protrusion 38 received in the guide groove 39. When thefirst locking portions 40 lock the protrusions 38, the connecting member13 is prevented from separating from the first member 11 toward the sideof the second member 12. The first locking portions 40 can lock theprotrusions 38 with a retaining force greater than the prescribedretaining force between the hemispherical protrusions 26 and thecircular holes 28. In particular, the first locking portions 40 and theprotrusions 38 are configured to be able to withstand the impact forcewhich is produced when the clip transitions from the retracted state tothe extended state. Furthermore, since the first locking portions 40 areformed on the inner surfaces of the respective convex portions 21 formedat the free end of the first member 11, when the protrusions 38 areengaged by the first locking portions 40, the connecting member 13 isable to swing or tilt around the protrusion 38 extending in the Ydirection with respect to the first member 11 until the column portion36 abuts against either one of the flanges 20.

The second end 35 is provided with an enlarged head in such a mannerthat the thickness thereof in the Z direction is increased. The width ofthe second end 35 in the Y direction is equal to the width of the columnportion 36 in the Y direction. Therefore, the connecting member 13 canbe assembled to the first member 11 by inserting the second end 35 fromthe open ends of the guide grooves 39. Further, the end surface of thesecond end 35 facing the column portion 36 extends substantially in theZ direction when viewed from the Y direction, and the side surfaces ofthe second end 35 are curved so as to come closer to each other towardthe free end of the second end 35.

The second member 12 is provided with a second locking portion 42including a pair of engagement claws 41 extending inward from the sidewalls thereof opposing each other in the Z direction. The base ends ofthe engagement claws 41 are located closer to the first member 11 thanthe fixing grooves 23, and intermediate portions of the engagement claws41 extend substantially in the X direction. The free end portions of theengagement claws 41 extend substantially in the Z direction so that theend surfaces thereof are close to each other, and are located closer tothe garnish 104 than the base ends thereof. The free ends of theengagement claws 41 are loosely received by the thinned portion 37.

When the free ends of the engagement claws 41 are received by thethinned portion 37 in the retracted state, the connecting member 13 isreceived in the first member 11 and the second member 12. Since the freeend portions of the engagement claws 41 extend substantially in the Zdirection, the intermediate portion and the base end portion of theengagement claws 41 are spaced from the connecting member 13.

In the retracted state, the free ends of the engagement claws 41 arereceived by the thinned portion 37 so that the second end 35 and ashoulder portion 43 of the column portion 36 defined by the thinnedportion 37 are prevented from moving in the X direction. Therefore, theconnecting member 13 is maintained to be received in the first member 11and the second member 12. Therefore, the clip 10 can be reduced in sizeand the space that is required to receive the airbag device 103 can bereduced in size. The second locking portion 42 and the second end 35 canbe kept engaged even when a force greater than the prescribed retainingforce between the hemispherical protrusions 26 and the circular holes 28is applied.

In the extended state, the free ends of the engagement claws 41 arereceived by the thinned portion 37 and locked to the second end 35 sothat the second member 12 is prevented from being detached from theconnecting member 13. Further, since the free ends of the engagementclaws 41 are loosely received by the thinned portion 37, and theintermediate portions and the base end portions of the engagement claws41 are spaced from the connecting member 13, the second end can berotated around the Y direction within a prescribed range. In otherwords, the connecting member 13 can swing or be tilted around the Ydirection relative to the second member 12 within a prescribed range.

The process of assembling the clip 10 is described in the following.First of all, the second end 35 of the connecting member 13 is insertedinto the open base ends of the guide grooves 39 of the first member 11.The base end side of the connecting member 13 is held fixed so that theconnecting member 13 does not move relative to the first member 11, andthe second member 12 is pushed toward the head portion 15 of the firstmember 11 and the second end portion of the connecting member 13. As aresult, the hemispherical protrusions 26 of the first member 11 arefitted into the respective circular holes 28 of the second member 12,and the engagement claws 41 of the second member 12 are received by thethinned portion 37 of the connecting member 13. At this time, the secondmember 12 is required to be pressed with a relatively large force, butthe assembly process is facilitated owing to the centering actionprovided to the second member 12 owing to the sliding movement betweenthe second inclined planar surfaces 32 of the second member 12 and thefirst inclined planar surfaces 31 of the first member 11. Thus, theassembly of the clip 10 in the retracted state is completed byassembling the first member 11, the second member 12, and the connectingmember 13 with one another in this manner.

Thereafter, the fixing groove 23 of the clip 10 is secured to thepedestal portion 112 of the garnish 104. At this time, the free endportions of the engagement claws 41 are received by the thinned portion37 so as to engage the second end 35 and the shoulder portion 43 of theconnecting member 13 so that the connecting member 13 is kept captivatedby the member 11 and the second member 12. Therefore, the connectingmember 13 is prevented from protruding from the second member 12, and isthereby prevented from interfering with the process of assembling theclip 10 to the garnish 104.

The garnish 104 is then attached to the front pillar upper 102 byinserting the base portion 14 of the first member 11 into the opening111 of the front pillar upper 102.

The features and advantages of the clip 10 are described in thefollowing with reference to FIGS. 8 to 11.

As shown in FIG. 10, the bag body of the airbag device 103 in a foldedstate is accommodated in a space 113 defined between the front innerupper pillar 102 a and the garnish 104. The airbag device 103 isprovided with an inflator (not shown in the drawings) which is caused togenerate gas to deploy the bag body as shown in FIG. 11 when a vehiclecrash is detected.

The clip 10 is maintained in the retracted state (see FIGS. 1, 4, and 5)before a vehicle crash occurs, but when the airbag device 103 isactivated by a vehicle crash, the bag body of the airbag device 103expands and pushes out the garnish 104 along with the second member 12fixed to the garnish 104. As a result, the hemispherical protrusions 26are dislodged from the circular holes 28, and the extended state (seeFIGS. 2, 6, and 7) is produced in which a gap is created between thefront inner upper pillar 102 a and the garnish 104 so that the bag bodyof the airbag device 103 can be inflated. The deployed bag body of theairbag device 103 is inflated out of the gap to protect the vehicleoccupant.

When the bag body of the airbag device 103 is deployed, the garnish 104is pushed out by the bag body, and tends to move irregularly. Therefore,the second member 12 receives input loads from multiple directions. Inparticular, the second member 12 may be subjected to an input load whichis directed in the lateral direction with respect to the direction (Xdirection) in which the garnish 104 faces the front inner upper pillar102 a. As shown in FIG. 8, when subjected to a load directed in the Zdirection, the second inclined planar surfaces 32 are guided in the Xdirection as the first inclined planar surfaces 31 slide over the secondinclined planar surfaces 32. Further, the first member 11 or the secondmember 12 is not provided with any walls or other features that hinderthe movement of the second member 12 relative to the first member 11 inthe guided direction or the movement of the second member 12 away fromthe first member 11 involving the sliding movement of the first inclinedplanar surfaces 31 relative to the second inclined planar surfaces 32.Therefore, the clip 10 is enabled to transition from the retracted stateto the extended state without any risk of being hindered.

Further, when the bag body of the airbag device 103 is deployed, thegarnish 104 moves irregularly but generally along an arcuate path untila gap is created between the garnish 104 and the front pillar upper 102.As shown in FIG. 9, since the connecting member 13 can tilt in the Ydirection with respect to the first member 11 and the second member 12in the extended state, the clip 10 is able to follow the movement of thegarnish 104 along an arcuate path. Since the connecting member 13 isformed as a separate member from the first member 11 and the secondmember 12, and is configured to be tiltable with respect to the firstmember 11 and the second member 12, the connecting member 13 is notrequired to be made of a flexible soft material, but can be made from awide range materials which have high mechanical strengths and low incost. For example, the material of the first member 11 may bepolyethylene terephthalate, the material of the second member 12 may bepolyacetal, and the material of the connecting member 13 may bepolyethylene terephthalate or polyacetal.

Further, since the connecting member 13 can be tilted with respect toboth the first member 11 and the second member 12, the movable range ofthe second member 12 relative to the first member 11 is increased. Morespecifically, the tiltable angle of the second member 12 with respect tothe first member 11 in the extended state can be maximized. The tiltablerange of the connecting member 13 relative to the first member 11 may bemore limited when the clip 10 is transitioning from the retracted stateto the extended state as compared to the case where the clip 10 is inthe extended state, but since the tiltable range of the connectingmember 13 relative to the second member 12 during such a period issubstantially equal to that in the extended state, the second member 12is enabled to tilt with respect to the first member 11 by a requiredrange so that the clip 10 is enabled to follow the irregular and arcuatemovement of the garnish 104.

Further, by forming the connecting member 13 as a separate member fromthe first member 11 and the second member 12, the connecting member 13can be accommodated in the first member 11 and the second member 12 inthe retracted state (FIGS. 1, 4, and 5), and space can be saved.

The present invention has been described in terms of a specificembodiment, but is not limited by such an embodiment, and can bemodified in various ways without departing from the spirit of thepresent invention. For instance, the concave portions may be formed inthe first member while the convex portions are formed in the secondmember. The circular holes may be formed in the first member while thetapered projections formed as solids of revolution are formed in thesecond member. The various components of the foregoing embodiment arenot entirely essential for the present invention, and can beappropriately retained and omitted without departing from the spirt ofthe present invention. The contents of the original application on whichthe Convention priority is claimed, as well as the contents of the priorart mentioned in the disclosure, are incorporated in the presentapplication in full by reference.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS  10: clip 11: first member  12: second member 13:connecting member  21: convex portion 22: first opening  24: fittingstructure 26: hemispherical protrusion  28: circular hole 29: secondopening  30: concave portion 31: first inclined planar surface  32:second inclined planar surface 34: first end  35: second end 36: pillarportion  37: thinned portion 38: protrusion  39: guide groove 40: firstlocking portion  41: engagement claw 42: second locking portion 101:vehicle body structure 102: front pillar upper (vehicle body framemember) 103: airbag device 104:  garnish

The invention claimed is:
 1. A clip for use in a vehicle body structure,including a vehicle body frame member, an airbag device attached to thevehicle body frame member, and a garnish covering the airbag device, tosecure the garnish to the vehicle body frame member, the clipcomprising: a first member configured to be fixed to the vehicle bodyframe member; a second member configured to be fixed to the garnish, andengaged by the first member with a prescribed retaining force; and aconnecting member for connecting the first member and the second memberto each other so as to prevent the second member from being displacedfrom the first member beyond a prescribed distance; the clip beingconfigured to transition from a retracted state where the second memberis engaged by the first member with the prescribed retaining force, andan extended state where the second member is displaced from the firstmember by the prescribed distance, the connecting member being tiltablewith respect to the first and second members in the extended state,wherein the first member is provided with a first opening and a firstlocking portion configured to engage the connecting member, and thesecond member is provided with a second opening and a second lockingportion configured to engage the connecting member, the connectingmember being provided with a first end portion having an enlarged headconfigured to be received by the first opening and rotatably engaged bythe first locking portion in the extended state, a second end portionhaving an enlarged head configured to be received by the second openingand rotatably engaged by the second locking portion in the extendedstate, and a column portion extending between the first end portion andthe second end portion.
 2. The clip according to claim 1, wherein one ofthe first member and the connecting member is provided with a guidegroove extending along a direction in which the garnish can move towardand away from the vehicle body frame member, and another of the firstmember and the connecting member is provided with a protrusion slidablyreceived in the guide groove as the clip transitions from the retractedstate to the extended state.
 3. The clip according to claim 2, whereinthe guide groove includes a pair of guide grooves provided in the firstmember so as to oppose each other, and the protrusion includes a pair ofprotrusions provided on the connecting member so as to correspond to therespective guide grooves, and an end of each groove on a side of thesecond member forms the first locking portion, and each protrusion formsa part of the enlarged head of the first end portion so that theconnecting member is tiltable with respect to the first member around afirst axis.
 4. The clip according to claim 3, wherein the second lockingportion is provided with a pair of engagement claws that oppose eachother in a direction perpendicular to the first axis, and the second endportion is provided with the enlarged head elongated in a direction inwhich the engagement claws oppose each other so that the connectingmember is tiltable with respect to the second member around a secondaxis parallel to the first axis.
 5. The clip according to claim 4,wherein the column portion is provided, at a part thereof connected tothe second end portion, with a thinned portion having a reducedthickness in a direction in which the enlarged head of the second endportion is elongated, and the engagement claws are configured to engagethe thinned portion in the retracted state.
 6. The clip according toclaim 1, wherein the first member and the second member are engaged witheach other in the retracted state by fitting a protrusion formed by atapered solid of revolution formed on one of the first member and thesecond member into a circular hole formed in another of the first memberand the second member.
 7. A clip for use in a vehicle body structure,including a vehicle body frame member, an airbag device attached to thevehicle body frame member, and a garnish covering the airbag device, tosecure the garnish to the vehicle body frame member, the clipcomprising: a first member configured to be fixed to the vehicle bodyframe member; a second member configured to be fixed to the garnish, andengaged by the first member with a prescribed retaining force; and aconnecting member for connecting the first member and the second memberto each other so as to prevent the second member from being displacedfrom the first member beyond a prescribed distance; the clip beingconfigured to transition from a retracted state where the second memberis engaged by the first member with the prescribed retaining force, andan extended state where the second member is displaced from the firstmember by the prescribed distance, the connecting member being tiltablewith respect to the first and second members in the extended state,wherein the connecting member is entirely received in the first memberand the second member in the retracted state.